Barnaby Jack, Famous Hacker, Dies

Barnaby Jack, the hacker known for making an ATM literally spit out cash, died Thursday, days before he was set to show how to disable a pacemaker from 30 feet away at Black Hat, the large annual hacker conference. He was 36 years old.

Associated Press

Barnaby Jack at Black Hat in a July 2010.

Jack was the director of embedded security research at security firm IOActive. He had previously worked at a variety of security firms, including McAfee.

The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s office confirmed the death Friday but didn’t yet know the cause.

Jack’s death is a blow to the hacker community before one of its largest gatherings of the year. He was a star of Black Hat, held in Las Vegas, where he and others would show how they could exploit holes in software and consumer devices.

In 2010, he wowed audiences by getting an ATM to shoot out unlimited bills in projectile fashion. Since then, he’d focused on getting medical device manufacturers to increase security of implants.

This year, he was scheduled to show he could turn off a pacemaker within 30 feet. Terrorists in Showtime’s “Homeland” show used a similar technique to assassinate the fictional vice president.

Conference organizers won’t replace that talk but will instead use the hour to celebrate Jack’s life, they said in a written statement.

Their full statement is below:

We have lost a member of our family. Everyone would agree that the life and work of Barnaby Jack are legendary and irreplaceable. Barnaby had the ability to take complex technology and intricate research and make it tangible and accessible for everyone to learn and grow from. Beyond his work in our industry, Barnaby was an incredibly warm hearted and welcoming individual with a passion for celebrating life. We all have a hilarious and upbeat story about Barnaby. He is truly a shining example of what we love about this community.

Black Hat will not be replacing Barnaby’s talk on Thursday, Aug. 1. No one could possibly replace him, nor would we want them to. The community needs time to process this loss. The hour will be left vacant as a time to commemorate his life and work, and we welcome our attendees to come and share in what we hope to be a celebration of his life. Barnaby Jack meant so much to so many people, and we hope this forum will offer an opportunity for us all to recognize the legacy that he leaves behind.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Barnaby Jack’s family and loved ones. Words cannot adequately describe how much he will be missed, but it is certain that Barnaby will NEVER be forgotten.